Interior partition



' March 9 1926. 1,575,705

H. D. OBERDORFER ET AL INTERIOR PARTITION Filed J n- 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 9 1926. 1,575,705

H. D. OBERDORFER ET AL INTERIOR PARTITION l i I I i i I l l JWGUZLOTSI f/mg B. Obercimyer fiedembf WT Vzjg/z 36%;

Patented Mar. 9, 192 6.

- UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY D. OBERDOBFEB AND FREDERICK W. VOIGH'ILANDER, 0] CHAMPAIGN, ILLI- NOIS; SAID VOIGHTLANDER ASSIGNOR OF HIS ENTIRE RIGHT TO CIRCLE A. PRODUCTS CORPORATION, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

. 'rn'rnmon Application filed January To all whomtt may concern:

Be it known that we, HE'NRYD. OBER- DORFER, a citizen of the United States, residing at- Cham aign, in the county of Champaign and. tate of Illinois, and FRED- ERICK W. VOIGHTLANDER, a citizen of the, United States, residing at Champa1gn, 1n

the county of Ohampaign and State of Illinois, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Interior Partitions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in interior partitions for buildings and more particularly to partitlons of the knock down or portable type which may be completely finished at the factory in units or. sections and thus shipped to their place of erection.

One object of the present invention is to provide a partition of the class described which shall be of simplified construction,

economical to manufacture and one which shall be rigid and of permanent appearance when erected.

Another object of the invention is to provide certain improvements in details of construction and arrangements of parts whereby advantages in erecting and knocking down will be realized while at the same time obtaining marked strength and rigidity in the finished partition.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the. art from a reading of the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein one form of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of a partition constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional viewtaken onthe line 22 of Fig. 1;

. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing one method of attaching the partition to a wall andalso showing a corner adaptation;

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the socket plates;

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the hook members employed in fastening the sections of the partition together;

PARTITION.

2, 1923. Serial No. 610,115.

\ Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing a hook member and socket in operative engagement;

Fig. 8 is a detail fragmentary view of a portion ofthe partition along the joint between the lower main body portion thereof and the superstructure;

Fig. 9 is a sectional line 99 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on line 10'-10 of Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the method of assembly, the parts shown in said figure being disassembled; and

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken through the upper portion of a partition having no superstructure.

The partition, according to the present invention is made up of a plurality of interchangeable sections or units and may extend from the floor to the ceiling or may terminate intermediate the floor and ceiling, if desired. When terminating short of the ceiling, only one row of these interchangeable sections are referably employed, the same being finishe across their upper edges with suitable crown mouldings and the like, to impart thereto a well balanced permanent appearance. When it is desired to erect a partition which extends clear to the ceiling, a row orseriesof interchangeable sections similar to those employed in the partition terminating short of the ceiling are view taken on the erected upon the floor and then upon this lower row of sections is erected a super-- structure, of built-up interchangeable sections or units, the latter either extending from the'top edge of the lower sections all the way to the ceiling, or, if desired or necessitated by ceiling beams or the'like, may

terminate short thereof and wall board or the like employed as a filler for the space intervening between the top edge of the superstructure and the ceiling.

, Referring now more in detail to the drawings, the lower or main body portion of the partition is comprised of a series of interpanels 15 and 16, and where a door is desired in a partition, such panel section may be so constructed as to accommodate either a single or double-acting door, or a pair of doors, two of the former being shown at 17 in Fig. 1.

The panel sections 10 are mounted upon a floor plate 18, which extends over the floor along the line on which it is desired to erect the partition. The floor plate 18 is continuous except at the door panel sections and is provided with a longitudinal groove 19 into which the ton ues 12, formed on the lower edges of the ottom rails 11 of the panel sections fit. Interposed between each pair of panel sections 10 and adapted to connect and hold the same together are removable pilaster sections 20, having plinths 21 at tached at their lower ends. These sections on their inner faces each carry a plurality of metal hooks 22 and the face of each'panel section 10- adjacent each vertical edge thereof is provided with a corresponding groove, 23, having metal socket plates 24 positioned thereover, the latter each being provided with a specially formed slot 25 designed to receive the hooks 22. 'The slot 25 is of greatest width at its upper end 26 and of a width at its lower end 27 corresponding substantially to the width of the hook, the walls of the slot intermediate the upper and lower portions thereof being tapered as at 28 so that in hooking one of the pilaster sections 20 into the sockets of the adjacent panel sections the hooks may first be engaged through the large upper ends of the slots 25 and then the pilaster section moved or forced downwardly with relation to the panel sections until the hooks engage the lower narrow portion of the slots 25 with the shoulder 29 of said hooks, preferably engaging the lower end 30 of the slot. It will be noted that the edge of each hook member next adjacent the plate carrying the same, is tapered as at 31. This tapered edge, made with the end 30 of the slot in the corresponding socket plate 24 to draw the pilaster section up into firm engagement with the adjacent sides of the panel sections as the same is moved downwardly into its final position. It will be seen from the foregoing, therefore, that the socket and hook members 24 and 22 are so designed that the said sockets will be easy of initial engagement by the hook members in erecting a partition and that the parts will be drawn together rigidly and into proper relative positions by the subsequent movement of the pilaster sections down into final position. As thus secured together, a space 32 intervenes between each pair of panel sections and in erecting a partition, this space will be found very convenient for electric wiring, or the like, which may be inserted therein after the pilaster sections on one side of the partition have been erected but prior to the erection of those on the other side thereof. This wiring may enter or leave the space 32 just described adjacent the floor and after extending to the top of the lower or main body portion of the partition, may be extended in either direction transversely of the partition behind the transverse crown mouldings, to be hereinafter referred to more in detail.

Should the floor upon which the lower or main body portion of the partition is being erected be uneven, blocks in the nature of shims or the like, may be used under the floor plates 18 so as to renderthe latter level prior to the erection of the panel sections thereon. After the lower or main body portion of the partition has beenerected, carpet moulds 33 are attached to the floor plates 18 and to the adjacent faces of the bottom rails 11 of the panel sections on each side of the partition between the pilaster sections thereof, said carpet moulds 33 being drawn tight to the floor when applied, to finish off the partition at the floor, and incidentally to hide any unevenness in the floor plates. these carpet moulds 33 being of sufficient height to conceal the joint between floor plates 18 and the bottom rails 11 of the panel section.

After the main panel sections 10 and their connecting pilaster sections have been erected, as previously described, face plates or mouldings 34, extending uninterruptedly transversely of the partition, are screwed to the top rails of the panel sections 10 on both sides thereof, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. These face plates 34 extend a considerable distance above the top rails 13 on either side of the latter to form the elongated narrow pocket or channel 35 which extends throughout the length of the partition. When it is desired to have a partition comprised only of the lower or main body portion previously described, or in other words, when a superstructure is not desired, an elongated rail 36 (Fig. 12) of a width to fit this pocket or channel 35 and having a tongue 37 along its lower edge, is moved down into said channel between the face plates 34 with its said tongue engaging the alined grooves 14 in the upper edges of the top rails 13 of sections 10, and thereafter the face plates 34 are screwed to said rail. This rail 36 is continuous between walls and extends from one end of the partition to the other thereby imparting extreme rigidity to the partition. The outside face of each of the face plates 34 is grooved longitudinally as at 38 and 39 and the screws employed in fastening said face plates to the top rails of the sections 10 and to the rail 36, are ap plied to said plates at said grooves. After the Screws have been positioned crown mouldings 40 are secured to the face lates 34 in the grooves 38 and plain mou ding strips 41 are secured to said plates 34 in the ture is desired is finished lain along its top edge and terminates slight y below the upper edges of the crown mouldings 40 so as to be completely hidden from view after the partition has been erected.

When it is desired to have the partition extend clear to the ceiling, the superstructure indicated generally by reference character 43 is employed. This superstructure comprises mullions 44, which, in the finished partition, provide .extensions of the lower pilaster sections, said mullions 44 extendin from the lower main-body portion of the partition upwardly and engaging in tongue and groove fashion with a plate 45 secured to the ceiling. These mullions 44 are longitudinally grooved throughout, along their side edgesas at 46 and along their face portions as at 47 and are of a width to fit down in between the face plates 34 previously described, the rail 36 being dispensed with in partitions wherein the mullions 44 and the superstructure are incorporated. The upper corners of each of the lower main panel sections 10 are cut away as at 48 to provide shoulders coincident with the upper ends of the lower pilaster sections for receiving the lower ends of the mullions 44 when the latter are positioned. The mullions 44 in practice are constructed at the factory of a length which will accommodate practically any ceiling height and are then cut off at their lower ,ends, in erecting, to accommodate the particular job in hand.

In erecting the superstructure the mullions 44 are first positioned with their lower ends resting down upon the shoulders 48 of the adjacent panel sections 10 and with their upper ends engaging, as previously described, in tongue and groove fashion with the ceiling plate 45. After the mullions have been positioned, the bottom rails 49 of the superstructure panel sections 50 are moved.

into position, as shown in Fi 2, the said rails 49 having tongues at t eir opposite ends for engagement with the edge grooves 46 of said mullions, and a tongue 49 along their lower edges for engagement with the grooves 14 in the'top edges of panel sections 10. It is necessary to leave ofi' one face plate 34 in order to position the mullions and rails 49, but as soon as these parts have been installed, said plate ismoved into position and it and the opposite plate 34 previously positioned are then both screwed firmly to said rails and said mullions in a manner similar to that previously described in connection with the positioning of the rail 36 used when a partition comprised only of the main anel sections 10 is erected. The crown moul ings 40 may then be positioned in the same manner as reviously described in the grooves 38 in p ates 34 to seal the screws and also to provide a finished permanent appearance to the parti-' tion. As previously described the lates 34 are continuous and by attaching t e same rigidly to opposite faces of the up or rails 13 of the panel sections 10, the mu lions 44 and the bottom rails 49 of the superstructure panel sections 50, it will be apparent that extreme ri idity is imparted to the partition along t e joint between the lower main body portion thereof and the superstructure.

Continuing the erection of the partition,

g the top rails 51 of the superstructure are next moved into position between the mullions 44, these rails also being provided with tongues at their opposite ends which engage within the edge grooves 46 of the said mullions and are suitably secured in position at the: desired height. The rails 51 are also provided with tongues 52 along their longitudinal upper edges, these tongues being designed for engagement either direct with the groove in the ceiling plate 45 or with a groove in an intermediate plate 53in the event the superstructure panel sections 50 are terminated short of the ceiling leaving a space between the latter and the top of said sections to accommodate filling sections of plaster board 54 or the like. Plates 53 at their opposite ends are also provided with tongues or tenons adapted for engagement with the edge grooves 46 of the mullions.

Moulding strips 55 are attached to the opposite faces of the rails 51 and face plate;

56 are secured to the latter and to the intercured to mullions 44 and serve to impart strength and rigidity to the partition in much the same manner as previously de' scribed in connection with the plates 34. Where the superstructure panel sections terminate at their upper ends short of the ceiling, necessitating the employment of the intermediate plate 53, the space between the latter andthe ceiling plate 45 may accommodate a continuous double wall plaster board filling section, as previously described.

In this event the plaster board sections 54 are secured in position against opposite faces of the plates 45 and 53 and crown mouldings 57 and- 58 secured in position Y against said, plaster board sections on each no on both sides of the partition.

side of the partition, the mouldings 58 at the rail 45 and against the ceiling and the mouldings 57 at the rail 53 spannin the joint between the plates 56 and the ower edges of the plaster board, these mouldings being continuous across the partition at the ceiling and intermediate rail respectively, serving further to strengthen the superstructure and also providing a finished and permanent appearance to the partition as a whole. As previously pointed out, the plaster board filling sections may be dispensed with and the top rail of the superstructure panel sections 50 engaged directly with the ceiling plate 45, if desired.

It is preferred to provide the superstructure panelsections 50 with glass panels although obviously panels of other material may be used, if desired. These panels are shown at 59 and may be secured in position after the mullions, rails, etc., of the superstructure have been erected. The panels 59 when in position engage within the grooves 46 of the mullions 44 along their opposite vertical edges. In order to permit of the positioning of these panels 59 after the superstructure has been erected, the grooves 46 are formed of such depth that when in positioning said panels. .One edge thereof is positioned in its groove 46 to the full depth of the latter, the opposite edge thereof will clear the adjacent mullions 44, thereby permitting of the alinement of said panel between the grooves 46 after which the panel may be moved edgewise to center the same. It will also be appreciated that in order to permit of this positioning of the panels 59, the grooves 46 must of necessity be of slightly greater width than the thickness of the panels- After the. panels have been thus positioned they are secured firmly in position by upper and lower removable stops in the form of horizontal strips 60, no vertical stops being employed or necessary in this construction. This renders the partition more readily adaptable to ceilings of varying heights and is also saving of both labor and material. Instead of providing the superstructure panel sections 50 with fixed glass or other panels, any one or more of said sections may, if desired, be equipped with a transom, such as shown at 61, as will be readily understood.

In Fig. 4 is shown one method of attaching the end section of a partition to a wall or the like. The wall is indicated at 62 and attached directly to the face thereof and extending vertically from the floor towards the ceiling there is shown a built up unit 63 comprised of a wall plate 65 and two casing members 64. The outer exposed edges of the casings 64 are provided with grooves and socket plates 66 and 67, the same as previously described as being carried by the main panel sections 10. At 68 a previously described in connection with the ilaster sections 20 and in this manner said section 68 is designed to be hooked into engagement with the casings 64 of the wall unit 63, as will be readily understood. Obviously other schemes of attaching the end sections of a partition to a wall may be devised, the present illustration being included merely to show one way in which this may be accomplished.

In Fig. 4, also, the construction of a twoway partition corner is shown. Each panel motion 10 is specially constructed for two three or four-way corner adaptations, the stiles or vertical members of each of said sections being built up of two separate pieces 10 and 10", the latter containing the grooves 23 and socket plates 24 previously described and being removably attached to the stiles by means of screws or the like, as shown. Thus in forming a two-way partition corner as shown in Fig. 4, the vertical strip 10 along one edge of one of the sections 10 is removed and this edge of said section then fitted in the rabbet of a pilaster section 71 from which the plinth portion has been removed. This detached strip 10 is used for forming the corner in the manner hereinafter described. Screws 72, or the like, may be employed for securing sections 71 and-1O together.

The section 71 on its rear face carries two vertical rows of hook members 22 which engage respectively the sockets in one side of the strip 10" carried by the other corner panel section 10 and one set of the sockets in the detached strip'lO". An unmodified pilaster section 20 is positioned on the opposite sides of the strips 1O with its hook members engaging in the other sockets of said strips. The detached strip 10", together with the adjacent outer edges of the pilaster sections 71 and 20, forms, as will be apparent, a pilaster sect-ion similar in all respects to the sections 20 previously described, except for the omission of the plinth. However, the plinth portion removed from pilaster section 71 may be employed here to finish off the corner. The screw holes in the detached strip 1() may be closed with colored wax, or the like, and the exposed face, of said strip then finished the same as the other parts of the partition.

'The formation ofv three and four-way art-ition corners will readily apparent ro1n the foregoing. a

All panel sections 10, as finished at the factory will be provided with strips 10 attached, in order to keep the units complete, and if detached and not used'as in the formation of three or four-way partition corners, for instance, should be saved for'future occasion.

It is important to note that the ready adaptability of the construction to corner formations is realized from the provision of the detachable strips 10 on the stiles of the panel sections and the relative arrangement of these parts, the latter being such that in any corner formation the joint be tween a stile and its attached strip is the same distance from the longitudinal axis of said corner as is the face of the rabbet in any one of the surrounding pilaster sections. Thus in Fig. 4 the distance O-A is equal to either of the distances O-B, O-C or O-D. The unit spacing between the pilaster is thus preserved in any and all cases and this is important in that proper spacing is thus maintained throughout the superstructure.

In the superstructure the mullions 44, being grooved throughout their opposite face portions, as previously described, also readily adapt themselves to cross or corner partitioning, one adaptation of the former being shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings. In Fig. 9 also the treatment of the edge of one of the mullions 44 is shown for the accommodation of a transom. In erecting a partition the mullions 44 may be provided with face mouldings 73, which may preferably engage said posts in tongue and groove fashion, as shown.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a sectional or knock down partition has been devised which shall be possessed of extreme strength and rigidity when erected, and one which will, to all appearances be of permanent design and construction, but which, in fact,,may be readily and quickly disassembled or taken down without marring or injuring the same in any way and as readily reassembled or put up at any other point or location.

While certain forms and arrangements of parts have been shown and described herein,

such has been done merely for purposes of disclosing one, and at present, the 'preferred method of construction and erection, but aswill be obvious to those skilled in the art, the construction lends itself readily to change and modification and accordingly it is not desired to limit or restrict the invention to the particular form or arrangement of parts herein illustrated and described, except where limitations appear in the appended claims.

What we claim is v 1. A knock down partition comprising anel sections, means for removably securmg the same together in partition formatlon, a top rail continuous across the top edges of said sections, and face lates se-. cured both to opposite faces of sai rail and sald sections respectively. a

2. A knock down partition comprising .panel sections, means for removably securmg the same together in partition formation, a top rail continuous across the top edges of said sections, and face lates secured both to opposite faces of sai rail and said sections respectively, said rail having an interfitting engagement with said sec- 1ons.

3. A knock down partition comprising panel sections, means for removably securmg the same together in partition formation, a top rail continuous across the top edges of said sections, and face lates secured both to opposite faces of sai rail and said sections respectively, 'said rail having an interfitting engagement with said sections, said face plates being also continuous and spanning t e joints between said sections.

4. A knock down partition comprising panel sections, means for removably securing the same together in partition format on, a top rail continuous across the top edges of said sections, and a continuous face plate on each side of said sections and spanning the joint betwen the latter and said rail and secured to said rail.

5. A lmock down partition comprising lower panel sections, means for securing same together in partition formation, a continuous face plate on each side of said sections at the top thereof and spanning the joints therebetween, said lates extending upwardly above the top e ges of said sections to form an elongated narrow channel, mullions fitting at their lower ends into said channel and resting upon the top ed of said sections and extending upwardly therefrom, and filling panel sections interposed between said mullions and also engaging within said channel and resting upog said lower sections along their lower e ges.. v

6. A knock down partition comprising lower panel sections, means for securing same together in partition formation, a continuous face plate on each side of said sections at the top thereof and spanning the joints therebetween, said plates extending upwardly above the top edges of said sections to form an elongated narrow channel, mullions fitting at their lower ends into said channel and resting upon the top ed of said sections and extending upwarfi therefrom, filling panel sections interposed within said channel and resting upon said lower sections along their lower edges, and means extending through said plates and into said filling panel sections and said mullions respectively for clamping said mullions and said last named sections securely and rigidly in position both with respect to each other and to the lower panel sections.

7. A knock down partition comprising lower panel sections, means for securing same together in partition formation, a continuous face plate on each side of said sections at the top thereof and spanning the joints therebetween, said plates extending upwardly above the top edges of said sections to form an elongated narrow channel, mullions fitting at their lower ends into said channel and resting upon the top edges of said sections and extending upwardly therefrom, filling panel sect'm'ns interposed .between said. mullions and also engaging within said channel and resting upon said lower sections along their lower edges, and means providing interfitting engagements between said filling panel sections and said lower sections and between the latter and said mullions.

8. A knock down partition comprising lower panel sections. means for securing same together in partition formation, a continuous face plate on each side of said sections at the top thereof and spanning the joints therebetween, said plates extending upwardly above the top edges of said sections to form an elongated narrow channel, mullions fitting at their lower ends into said channel and resting upon the top edges of said sections and extending upwardly therefrom, filling panel sections interposed between said mullions and also engaging within said channel and resting upon said lower sections along their lower edges, a grooved plate at the top of said partition. and tongues carried by said mullions and the top rails of said filling panel sections adapted to engage said groove.

9. A knock down partition comprising lower panel sections. means for securing same together in partition formation, a continuous face plate on each side of said sections at the top thereof and spanning the joints therebetween, said plates extending upwardly above the top edges of said sections to form an elongated narrow channel, mullions fitting at their lower ends into said channel and resting upon the top edges of said sections and extending upwardly therefrom, filling panel sections interposed between said mullions and also engaging within said channel and resting upon said lower sections along their lower edges, means extending through said plates and into said filling panel sections and said mullions respectively for clamping said mullions and said last named sections securely and rigidly in position both with re spect to each other and to the lower panel sections, and mouldings attached to said face plates concealing said clamping means.

10. A knock down partition comprising lower panel sections, means for securing same together in partition formation, a continuous face plate on each side of said sections at the top thereof and spanning the joints therehetwcen, said plates extending upwardly above the top edges of said Sec-' tions to form an elongated narrow channel, mullions fitting at their lower ends into said channel and resting upon the top edges of said sections and extending upwardly therefrom, filling panel sections interposed between said mullions and also engaging within said channel and resting upon said lower sections along their lower edges, and a continuous face plate on each side of said filling sections extending along the top of the latter and attached thereto and to said mullions.

11. A knock down partition comprising panel sections, means for removably securing the same together in partition formation, and means for removably attaching said sections to a wall or the like, said last named means comprising vertical casings provided with spacing means therebetween, means for rigidly attaching the same to the wall, said casings having sockets formed in their exposed edges, and a vertically grooved section provided with hooks for engagement in said sockets, the partition panel section next adjacent said wall fitting into said grooved section.

12. A corner adaptation for a sectional knock down partition comprising a pair of vertically grooved pilaster sections adapted to receive one edge of the end panel section of one wall of the partition therebetween, means for removably securing said sections together, one edge of the end panel section of the other wall of the partition engaging in the groove of one of said pilaster sections, and a spacing and filler strip interposed between said ilaster sections ad jacent the outer edges 0 the latter.

13. A knock down partition comprising lower panel sections and a superstructure comprised of grooved mullions extending from the lower sections upwardly to the desired height, upper and lower spaced apart rails extending between said mullions, and panels mounted in each of the frames formed by said mullions and rails, the grooves in said mullions being of such depth that said panels may be positioned therein after erection of said superstructure, and removable stops carried by said rails for preventing displacement of said panels after the latter have been positioned.

14. A knock down partition comprising a grooved floor plate, panel sections arranged edge to edge along said plate and having tongues for engagement with the groove therein, means for connecting said sections together along their vertical edges, trans verse continuously extending plates secured to the tops of said sections and base boards extending along the bottom of said sections and attached to the latter and to said plate. 7 15. A knock down partition comprising panel sections, removable strips attached to the vertical stiles of said sections, said strips being provided with sockets, and opposed pilaster sections provided with longitudinal face grooves and having hook members for engagement with said sockets for securing said panel sections together in partition formation.

16. A knock down partition comprising panel sections, removable strips attached tothe vertical stiles of said sections, said strips being provided with sockets, and'opposed pilaster sections provided with longitudinal face grooves and having hook members for engagement with said sockets for securing said panel sections together in partition for mation, the distance from the longitudinal axis of a pilaster to the next adjacent strip and stile joint of a panel section being equal to the distance from said axis to the face of the groove in either of the sections of said pilaster.

' In testimony whereof, We have subscribed our names.

HENRY D. OBERDORFER. FREDERICK W. VOIGHTLANDER. 

